Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Since 2002, Alex Turner has been the frontman of the band, Arctic Monkeys. He recently released a solo album that was also the soundtrack to the film, Submarine, directed by his friend. He's long been an ace at the narrative lyric, unspooling yarns into tangled, cutting slices-of-life. But with the film providing the storyline, Turner's lyrics tend toward impressionistic details and wallflower observations, filling in the picture rather than trying to retell the script in song. My favorite track, "Piledriver Waltz" tells an odd tale of breakfast at the Heartbreak Hotel and reminding someone, "If you're gonna try to walk on water, make sure to wear your comfortable shoes." Submarine's rich, reminiscent tone finds Turner sounding very much at ease with himself and his talents, offering a swift but satisfying glimpse at that same charming, circumspect young man we knew back when.